


Breathe

by Jeni182



Series: Breathe [1]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Ficlet, First Dates, Fluff, M/M, Nervous!Andrew, Nervousness, Romance, Short & Sweet, Soft Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-10 07:50:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17421869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jeni182/pseuds/Jeni182
Summary: Neil convinces Andrew to go on a date and Andrew is NOT nervous.





	Breathe

“I want to go on a date.”

It took every ounce of willpower Andrew had not to roll his eyes and dismiss Neil on the spot. It was ingrained in him. It was how his essence was shaped. But Neil was slowly molding him into a person he didn’t recognize.

So, he didn’t.

“Yeah? With who?” he settled on instead.

“You know what I mean. We’ve never been on a date in the entire two years we’ve been…” Neil trailed off and looked out across campus. They were on the roof and had spent another pleasant evening of wandering hands and bruising kisses and wasted cigarettes.

“Since we’ve been what?” Andrew dared ask. He was afraid of the answer, but he was amused at Neil’s floundering for the right word.

“Us.”

Andrew sighed. They _were_ an “us”. He stopped trying to deny it months ago. He was self-destructive, not stupid.

“We live together. We’re literally on a date right now. Look. This is us dating.” He spread his arms wide to encompass the campus and the cigarettes and the now dirty undershirt they had used to clean up.

“No, a real date. I want to pick you up and take you to a restaurant or something. Come on. It’ll be fun. You can sit in sullen silence while I force you to make conversation with my dazzling personality.”

“No.”

“I’ll buy you ice cream every day for a month.”

Andrew thought about it. He could buy his own ice cream every day for a month if he wanted. But the possibility of sending Neil on runs to buy made up ice cream flavors had real promise.

“Fine. I’m not dressing up. You’re paying.”

Neil smiled that smile that made the corners of his eyes crinkle and Andrew huffed and looked away. Where does he get off using that fucking smile anyway?

***

Andrew was standing in front of the closet and feeling irrationally angry at the situation he found himself in. Neil was next door in Matt’s dorm getting ready because in order for it to feel like a real date, he said, he wanted to knock on the door and pick Andrew up properly.

This was so stupid. Neil was so stupid. Stupid ideas and stupid Matt and stupid, _stupid_ smile. Andrew was definitely not nervous to go on a date with someone whose dick he’d had in his mouth on multiple occasions. It wasn’t like they weren’t already… _them_.

Not nervous.

Andrew started digging through his closet while mentally cursing himself. He had no clothes. _None_. This full closet and the dresser with the drawers that wouldn’t close all the way because of all the shit in them obviously didn’t count because he had nothing to wear that wasn’t specifically for Eden’s or wasn’t specifically just fucking terrible.

“Getting ready for your date?” Nicky cooed from the doorway. Neil was molding Andrew’s essence and shit and that probably included not killing his cousin?

“I’m just humoring him in exchange for ice cream. It’s not a big deal. Go the fuck away.” Andrew thought he sounded pretty damn convincing, but he added a blank stare just to complete the picture of apathy.

“Uh huh. Sure.” Nicky walked over to stand beside Andrew in front of the closet. He looked at the clothes with his arms crossed over his chest for a long moment before reaching in and shoving things aside. He came out with a hunter green pullover and a pair of dark wash jeans that Andrew forgot he owned.

“Here. The green will make your eyes pop and warm up your pale ass skin and the jeans are a size too small so your ass will look great.” Nicky held out the clothes to Andrew and when Andrew tried to take them, he held on to them. Andrew looked up at him and raised a questioning brow.

“I hope you have a really good time. Both of you.”

Andrew yanked the clothes out of his hands and waved him off. He didn’t have time for this. Not that he was watching the time or anything.

Andrew made his way to the shower and took one as hot as he could stand it to try and force his brain to think about something else. Nicky was so ridiculous. Hope you have a really good time? What the fuck does that mean? Why wouldn’t they have a good time?

But what if they didn’t have a good time? It would be Andrew’s fault for sure. Because he couldn’t just let himself have something good and enjoy it. The little Bee part of his brain told him it was because he’s built up a defense mechanism of rejecting everything good so he could never be hurt by having it taken away. But he hadn’t rejected Neil. Had _stopped_ rejecting him, anyway. Because of the smiles and the crinkles and mostly because of the trust.

The Andrew part of his brain squished the Bee part under a steel toed combat boot and he finished his more thorough than usual shower.

He brushed his teeth and shaved and checked for stray stubble because Neil liked to put his hands on Andrew’s face sometimes when they kissed and he wanted it to feel smooth under Neil’s fingers. He got dressed in the clothes Nicky picked out for him but only because it was convenient since they were already there.

He looked at himself in the mirror. And thought.

_I’m going to ruin this._

He considered just not answering the door when Neil knocked. Turning out all the lights and pretending he wasn’t there. But then he remembered Neil had a key. Maybe he should really leave?

Stop. Stop. _Stop_. Don’t do this. Remember he asked you. Remember to _breathe_.

He was definitely nervous, he finally admitted to himself. Because although they had been _them_ for so long there had never been _this_ and in some part of his body or mind or dare he even say heart he can admit that he is nervous because he wants Neil to have a good time and he wants Neil to have a good time with _him._

_Breathe._

So, Andrew finished getting ready. He took way too long to style his hair and cursed himself for not getting a trim before this. He found a pair of brown boots Nicky got him that he didn’t think he’d ever worn but was suddenly very glad for as they gave him an extra inch or two in height. He slid his wallet into one pocket and his phone in the other.

And suddenly realized.

There were 10 whole minutes until Neil was due to ‘pick him up.’

Nicky had fled in a fit of self-preservation and Andrew was alone in the dorm. He sat on the couch in the silence. He stood and paced. He sat again on a different part of the couch. He debated having a cigarette but decided against it since he didn’t want his clothes to smell like cigarettes.

But.

What the fuck did he care if his clothes smelled like cigarettes anyway? He pulled out his phone and texted Neil.

_Come now. I’m bored. Today starts ice cream btw._

He stood up and checked his hair in the mirror one more time and used some of Nicky’s cologne that didn’t smell horrible and then immediately wished he had time to wash it off. But he didn’t.

Because there was a knock on the door.

And Andrew’s heart skipped all of the beats.

_Breathe._

He opened the door to a softly smiling Neil who was wearing a blue sweater the same color as his eyes and was holding a pint of double chocolate fudge ice cream and who was honestly the most beautiful creature Andrew had ever laid eyes on.

“I thought this was more appropriate than flowers,” he said with the smiles and the crinkles and Christ _he_ had thought to get a trim before now.

Andrew reach out and took the ice cream right as Neil leaned forward to meet him halfway. They were beyond asking yes or no for kisses at this point. But Neil still leaned in slowly enough for Andrew to pull away if he wanted.

He didn’t want.

Their noses rubbed together and their breaths mingled for a beat before Andrew said, “I thought this was for the end of a date?”

“Can’t wait,” Neil whispered. And went in for the kill.

It was chaste and it was soft and it was the kind of gentle Andrew did not know what to do with. It was everything. They pulled apart a minute later, still nose to nose, still close enough to kiss. And Neil said

_Breathe._

So, Andrew did.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are always appreciated! You can also follow me on [tumblr!](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/jtmann182)


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